What to do with - suspected - self-seeded apple trees in my lawn?

[wafter]

I have quite a few of what I think are self-seeded apple trees growing beneath / adjacent to a couple of mature apple trees in the garden.. probably as a result of the property sitting un-attended for a year or more while I tried to buy it..

They're currently about 12" tall at most - I don't like destroying stuff but there's no way I can allow them to develop into proper trees. Is there any point in trying to remove then preserved and pass them on to someone else or should I just bite the bullet, pull / dig them up and chuck them in the compost?

Thanks

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I would imagine that at that height then you should be able to dig them out roots and all
and transplant them into a pot so they can be given away and planted elsewhere

I have certainly had sycamores in the garden that got that high and I have pulled the roots out as well when I pull them out

 

[Red17]

Sounds likely to be suckers from the tree rootstock, which may not even be an apple. Probably not likely to be a viable fruit tree. I would dig them out and get rid of them

 

[presta]

I have certainly had sycamores in the garden that got that high and I have pulled the roots out as well when I pull them out

There's a vacancy for one of those up north.

 

[Reynard]

Sounds likely to be suckers from the tree rootstock, which may not even be an apple. Probably not likely to be a viable fruit tree. I would dig them out and get rid of them

They may not necessarily be grafted. and if they are, it'll most likely be some species of crab apple. Crab apples are all-round good pollinators, as apples don't tend to be self-fertile.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

If space allows, I would live a couple of the crab apples.
Like @Reynard said, they are great for pollinating, folks make jelly from the apples too.
Pot up the rest and gift/barter/phantom plant them?

 

[wafter]

Thanks all - so we're split between them being self-seeded windfalls and stuff growing from the roots...?

I did consider the latter but wasn't aware that apple trees did that as the one at home never has.. if this is the case I have less of an issue lopping them off or whatever it takes to get rid of them. I like greenery but can't be having the entire garden slowly turning into an super-dense, impassable orchard!

Not sure what sort of trees they are, but there are a few small fruits already falling from them (maybe 30-40mm in diameter) which sounds a bit like crab apples perhaps...? Can I do owt useful with these? I guess I'm on a bit of a hiding to nothing with any fruit given the current low-carb drive..

 

[Pat "5mph"]

there are a few small fruits already falling from them (maybe 30-40mm in diameter) which sounds a bit like crab apples perhaps...? Can I do owt useful with these?

Yes, crab apples.
Google crab apple jelly recipe.
I don't like it myself, but lots of people do, it's an appreciated present.
The root shoots, under the grafting, are very near the trunk of the tree, well, they sprout from the trunk.
If your trees are further away than that, they are self seeded.
This year seems to have been really good for self seeding - some years are better than others.
I had to pull loads of birch saplings, horse chestnuts, even sun flowers have self seeded in areas where I never planted them.
I guess it's because of the winds we had.

 

[Reynard]

Not sure what sort of trees they are, but there are a few small fruits already falling from them (maybe 30-40mm in diameter) which sounds a bit like crab apples perhaps...? Can I do owt useful with these? I guess I'm on a bit of a hiding to nothing with any fruit given the current low-carb drive..

Could equally be an early dessert apple if they're self-seeded as opposed to a suckered rootstock. I'd suggest waiting till they're ripe*, then try them and see where you're at. The codlings falling off now is just the tree not being able to cope with sustaining the fruit - most likely it's been too dry.

* when you twist lightly, the fruit should come off the tree easily.

 

[Ian H]

There are people trawling roadside verges looking self-seeded apple saplings. They seldom seed true, so the idea is to discover new and interesting varieties. Most apple varieties were originally accidental.

 

[Reynard]

There are people trawling roadside verges looking self-seeded apple saplings. They seldom seed true, so the idea is to discover new and interesting varieties. Most apple varieties were originally accidental.

I have a few such in some of my favourite foraging spots. The fruit ranges from "a bit meh" to "bloody delicious" with just about everything else in between.

 

[Time Waster]

There's a vacancy for one of those up north.

At that size secateurs would deal with them though so no chance of a conviction of criminal damage. Let me know if the poster fills the vacancy so I know when to pay it a visit! 😂

 

[Time Waster]

I know someone who made crab apple wine. It was horrible at first but a few bottles ended up lost in the garage. 10 years later we tested a bottle, possibly longer. It had matured into a nice white that wasn't bubbly but the taste was a bit like it was bubbly. It kind of popped on your taste buds and very nice in the end.

 

[wafter]

Thanks both - that's really helpful

Yes, crab apples.
Google crab apple jelly recipe.
I don't like it myself, but lots of people do, it's an appreciated present.
The root shoots, under the grafting, are very near the trunk of the tree, well, they sprout from the trunk.
If your trees are further away than that, they are self seeded.
This year seems to have been really good for self seeding - some years are better than others.
I had to pull loads of birch saplings, horse chestnuts, even sun flowers have self seeded in areas where I never planted them.
I guess it's because of the winds we had.

Cheers - I'll take a look but if it's not something I can consume myself I'm unlikely to take a chance on others' taste for it taking it off my hands! I assume it's akin to some sort of jam...? Sounds intriguing if nothing else

The new growth is generally within the boundaries of the canopies of the trees (so maybe within a 2-3m radius of the trunk); however some is distinctly removed and the garden has a distinct gradient, which made me think of self-seeding if the fruit had hit the ground and rolled.

While I'm used to butchering bindweed and dragging up nettle runners, it feels wrong to be pulling up stuff that's otherwise something one might otherwise value

Could equally be an early dessert apple if they're self-seeded as opposed to a suckered rootstock. I'd suggest waiting till they're ripe*, then try them and see where you're at. The codlings falling off now is just the tree not being able to cope with sustaining the fruit - most likely it's been too dry.

* when you twist lightly, the fruit should come off the tree easily.

Ta - that makes sense; I'll give a few a tweak every time I'm in the garden to check for progress

 

[wafter]

There are people trawling roadside verges looking self-seeded apple saplings. They seldom seed true, so the idea is to discover new and interesting varieties. Most apple varieties were originally accidental.

Cheers - if it turns out that's the case maybe there's a market for potting them up and giving them away